Luca
88 Saint John Street
Clarke well
London EC1M 4EH
(nearest tube – Farringdon)
BY NEAL MARTIN |
The Food:
Parmesan frites
Vitello tonnato, Tema artichoke, celery, capers and preserved lemon
Tortelli of delica pumpkin and amaretti with sage and pickled chili
Aged Hereford beef fillet, three-cornered leeks, morels and smoked bone marrow
Sicilian lemon tart with fennel ice cream
The Wines:
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Let’s cut to the chase. Luca boasts a thick, juicy book of Italian vino that covers the entire ‘boot’, a mixture of marquee names and cult producers that is worthy of entry alone. It’s not a treasure trove of unmissable bargains; to that end, I don’t want to give the false impression of some backwater bistro naively adding 10% to wines bought just after the war. (C’mon, we all dream of those.) Our lunch bill was punchy despite steering wallets clear of Super-Tuscans and blue-chip Barolos. But what you do get for your hard-earned money is some of the best Italian food the capital currently offers, together with a gorgeous wine, irrespective of budget, in a restaurant that is beloved by all who enter.
